Curriculum vitae – Ezekiel, protector of the people and prophet of hope

Ezekiel, protector of the people and prophet of hope. In the first half of the 6th century. Before Christ, Babylon was one of the most gloriously developing countries in the East. The most prominent king of Babylon was Nebuchadnezzar.
The little kingdom of Judea was in double danger. The cruel Nebuchadnezzar threatened from the outside, within and the king's sons contested among themselves over the throne. One of them, eventually, Jojakim, won the throne with the help of Egypt.
Syria and Judea forged an alliance against mighty Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar took this to be a mockery of himself. He replied in no time. In year 598 he struck the kingdom of Judah for the first time and conquered Jerusalem. Under the misfortunes and pressure of pagan Babylon, the nation forgets its One God. Idolatry is rampant.
During these times, the prophet Jeremiah admonishes the Israelites. He throws out Jerusalem, that he worships idols, lives badly and is unfair. Through Jeremiah, God exhorts the chosen people, to turn back from the wrong path. Otherwise, he is in danger of defeat : "I will turn Jerusalem into a pile of rubble, the habitat of jackals, and the cities of Judah in a wilderness, deprived of inhabitants " (Jr 9, 10). The prophet Jeremiah's prediction was fulfilled in 596 r. before Christ, when Nebuchadnezzar attacked the kingdom of Judah for the second time and deprived it of its freedom. The nation and the king were taken captive to Babylon.
Ezekiel was Israel's guide in exile.
God called him a prophet in the fifth year of Babylonian captivity. He was talking to him : “I appointed you as Israel's guardian for this, that when you hear my exhortations from my mouth, you may obey them in my name… I do not want the death of the wicked, but only that, that the wicked turn away from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways !” (This 33, 7.11).
Ezekiel listened to God and exhorted his fellow countrymen, that they would come to their senses. Did not want to, that the exiles would be deceived, that captivity will soon be over. It resembled, that then they will be free, when they repent and sincerely turn to God. So the prophet foretells, that Jerusalem will be destroyed. It will be the punishment of this sins. And that's how it happened. Then many Israelites broke down.
In the moment, when all seemed lost, Ezekiel called Israel, that he would not give in to despair. He reminded the chosen people of God's promise on Mount Sinai, that he would never abandon his people.
“It is true that I banished them among the nations and scattered them across countries, but for a short time I will be a temple to them in these countries, to which they came… I will gather you again from among foreign nations, I will bring you from the countries, after whom you have been scattered and I will give you the land of Israel, They will go back there and eradicate all idols and abominations from it. I will give them one heart and bring a new spirit within them. From their flesh I will remove a heart of stone, and I will give them a carnal heart, to follow my instructions, they kept my statutes and did them. And so they will be my people, and I will be their God " (This 11, 16b-20).
In this way, the prophet Ezekiel instilled confidence in God's protection over his people. We rightly call him the protector of the chosen people and the prophet of hope.